The Struggle at Aldi

This is a little embarrassing. Exactly why I am blogging about it. Now I'm not new to shopping at stores like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Publix. I keep my small, recycled, green bag in my van. I don't usually do all of my shopping in these stores so normally I don't need a shopping cart.

Well, a few days ago I went to Aldi's with our son, after hearing that they had huge, sweet cantalopes really cheap. As we swiftly approached the store, I told our son, "Don't even think about asking me to buy any junk!"

His walk slowed.

This time I decided to get a shopping cart just in case.

I grabbed the handle. I thought it was stuck, then noticed there was a short, linked chain on it. What in the world? I looked around but it was early so no one was coming in. The seniors were already in. I saw them getting out of their cars as we pulled in the parking lot. There is a Hardee's not far so they'd probably just had breakfast and met up to shop at Aldi.

I tried to manipulate the little lock/chain thingy to free the cart. Our son was standing nearby just looking. Guess he was still processing the NO JUNK policy.

"You aren't gonna help me?" I asked him as I jerked the carts. I looked on the other row of nicely aligned carts to see if there was one not on lock down.

I continued to pull and jerk. "Mama! I think you need a key from inside." He looked around. "Somebody might think you're stealing it." Guess the sight of me pulling the carts to no avail embarrassed him.

Defeated, I sucked my teeth and went on in. Never asked anyone about it.

Yesterday, I went back to Aldi for a few items. Armed with my recycled, green bag, I approached the store. A young guy was pushing a cart back to the store. Remembering the struggle, I caught up to him before he pushed it to its place and simply asked if I could have his cart.

He looked at me a little funny but gave it to me.

So I quickly shopped. I was about to put the cart back but saw a man with his small child so I kindly offered him the cart. No need for him to struggle with the car as I did days before. Simple, small gesture.

"Here. You can have my cart," I smiled.

As I turned to leave, he offered me a quarter.

OMG! OMG! So that's how it works! Didn't need a key...needed a quarter in that little slot.

But...I was too cool to be embarrassed so I simply declined and told him not to worry about it, tucked my tail and walked to my van. And I ain't gonna tell our son about it either. I wonder how many people inside Aldi's, that day, saw me pulling and jerking on those carts?